Delving into the origins of lemurs in Madagascar, a remarkable fossil discovery in Africa challenges our historical assumptions. Contrary to popular belief, lemurs might not have been the first mammals to set foot on the island. A 20-million-year-old fossil, initially thought to be a bat, has now been identified as the oldest branch in the lemur family tree, reshaping the narrative of their arrival.
Today, lemurs, distant primate cousins to humans, exclusively inhabit Madagascar. The conventional narrative posits that their common ancestor migrated to the island 60 million years ago, giving rise to various species. However, a study published in the journal Nature Communications in August 2018 proposes a different sequence of events.
Comparative analysis of a jawbone discovered in Kenya revealed it belongs to the ancient species Propotto leakeyi, closely related to the modern Aye-Aye found in Madagascar. Propotto’s jaws also bear similarities to a 34-million-year-old species in Egypt, potentially a common ancestor. Genetic analysis further indicates that the separation of the Aye-Aye from other lemurs occurred 40 million years ago, suggesting an early migration. The first Madagascar mammals, along with other insectivorous counterparts, might have braved the ocean, swimming to the island.
